US Open champion Marin Cilic avoided being dragged into a John Isner epic of 2010 proportions as he put paid to the American’s Wimbledon hopes on Saturday.

The pair were forced off court at 10-10 on Friday night due to fading light in south-west London, but their return did not bring the marathon many expected.

Cilic held serve when they returned to Court One and the Croatian then broke to clinch a 7-6 (7/4) 6-7 (6/8) 6-4 6-7 (4/7) 12-10 victory, earning a fourth-round match against American Denis Kudla on Monday.

Isner famously beat Nicolas Mahut 70-68 in the final set of the longest match in tennis history at Wimbledon five years ago, but defeat to Cilic means the 30-year-old has yet to go beyond the third round in his Wimbledon career.